12oz bottle purchased at Huckleberry’s in Spokane for $2.59. I think this is the first beer I’ve had that has been brewed with hemp seed, and it’s from Utah of all places! Best by May 9, 2013, according to the label. I think anything labeled “Imperial” should be okay a couple of weeks after the best-by date, but I wish I’d had the time to get to this earlier.

Poured a dark, cola-like color that showed lots of red when held up to light. Big, creamy, beige colored head that left lots of lace.

Piney hops and dark malt greet the nose, and it seems like they are well balanced, with the hops a little more forward (as any beer that has been labeled “IPA” should be), but with a heftier contribution from the malts (like many an Imperial IPA, black or otherwise).

Caramelish malts and bitter, piney hops hit the palate with about equal fervor, with a coffeeish note then kicking in before the hops signal the end of the taste with a big, dry smack.

Medium bodied, with a creamy yet resiny mouthfeel.

This is a pretty tasty example of a Black Imperial IPA. The hops and malts are balanced well and complement one another. No sign of the high alcohol content, so beware! I would definitely buy this again.

a: poured into a stubby chalice, this beer is a deep pecan shell brown in color, initially sporting a finger of dark tan head that falls back to a thin coating

s: pungent dark green pine hop notes, heavy and acidic, sappy and thick, dominate the the front of the nose, underneath is found a body of black roasted malts and burnt sugars, bitter chocolate, toasted nuts, some nice alcohol after warming, love it

m: carbonation around moderate on a medium-full bodied ale

t: loaded with dense pine hop flavors spread across a base of roasted barley and toffee sugars, just a huge hop presence with big acids and resinous pine needles, the overwhelmed sugars are pushed out early to make way for bitter chocolate and a puckering, growing bitterness that lingers long with roasted barley flavors, alcohol warms with each sip

o: always thought the Uinta stuff was solid - but this was big surprise, a powerful pine bomb with a complex roasted malt structure balancing things out nicely, delicious

Bottle poured into glass gives a large coffee with cream colored head that is creamy in appearance. Head is a bit rocky with good retention. Leaves heavy lacing. Beer is almost pure black, with hints of brown and red in the light.

Smells of citrusy hops (mostly orange and grapefruit), some more earthy/floral hops, caramel and roasted malts, butter, chocolate, and just a whiff of hemp. Roasted malts are much more assertive in the taste than the nose.

Taste starts with citrusy and floral hops along with roasty malts, the roasty malts quickly overpower the hops then comes a strong chocolate taste (more than smell) along with a bit of hemp seed in the finish. Has a crisp, but very roasted finished. Has a medium body with a bit of a buttery/creamy feel, low carbonation. Black IPA's arent my favorite, but this one has a good name, and is a very good beer.